[List-Cumbria] George ECCLES, artist, born Wigton about 1823

[Stuart J Phethean]

As a break from my own one-name study I am trying to find out about the relationship between by 3X Grt Grandmother Elizabeth HALL( born ASHTON 1796) from Bolton and a portrait painter George ECCLES also residing in Bolton. I have been reconstructing both families in detail and have uncovered several links between their various residences in Bolton. There do not appear to be any genealogical  links between the two families so one has to assume that the families were just friends. But whatever happened, in about 1870 George Eccles painted a portrait of Elizabeth Hall, which I inherited about 20 years ago.

Trying to find George Eccles parents is proving challenging, but evidence from the various census returns in Bolton points consistently to Wigton in Cumberland as a birth place.

I have the following details:
George ECCLES born about 1823 Wigton Cumberland( stated in 1841, 1851, 1861 and 1871 census returns) Living in Bolton, Lancs. parents in 1841 George Eccles and wife Elizabeth.  Married Ann CREER 04 May 1846 , St Peter’s Bolton-le-Moors, Lancashire, England. Marriage entry:George Eccles - Full Age, Portrait Painter, Bachelor, Great Bolton Ann Creer - Full Age , Spinster, Little Bolton Groom's Father: William Eccles, Gaiter, Bride's Father: Matthias Creer, Publican

George ECCLES father: William ECCLES 

Born about 1801. In  1841  living Deansgate, Bolton le moors, England. A bit elusive after 1846.   Occupation: gaiter. Not born in Lancashire so could well be from Cumberland . Unable to find him with any certainty on subsequent census returns in Bolton.

George ECCLES mother:

Believed to be Elizabeth ALCOCK by virtue of the fact that there other Alcock names on some of the census returns for the same household. Born about 1800 Wigton Cumberland according to 1851 and 1861 census. Living in Bolton from before 1841.

Unable to find a marriage between William and Elizabeth, but likely to have been Cumberland probably Wigton.

Tentative baptism: 22 Mar 1801 • Saint Cuthbert,Carlisle,Cumberland,England. Parents in the baptism record are Isaac ALCOCK and Esther NELSON. I’m a bit dubious about this.

BUT in 1841 there is a William ALCOCK age 70 living in same household as Elizabeth and her son George Eccles, along with an Isaac ALCOCK age 25. So, is William Alcock her father or uncle? Is Isaac Alcock age 25  a cousin?

What I am trying to find/resolve is:

Find a baptism record for George Eccles in or around Wigton c. 1823. Hopefully confirm his parents names are William and Elizabeth.

Find a marriage record in Cumberland for William Eccles and hopefully, Elizabeth Alcock.

If above is true, Confirmation or otherwise that Elizabeth Alcock’s parents are Isaac and Esther.

If above true, then who is William Alcock in the 1841 Census living with The Eccles family in Bolton? He would have been born about 1770. 

BMD records for Wigton appear to be few and far between on Ancestry, FMP and FamilySearch, as most seem to be only available at LDS Family History Centres - which of course are all closed. Are there any other sources?

I have been in touch with someone who has researched George Eccles to the present day, but they have not been able to get back any further than I have.

Maybe I should just return to my ONS. Much easier!

Keep safe,



Stuart


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